The present invention relates to a removable insert for a catching glove, and more particularly to such an insert which lessens finger sting and palm pain behind the insert when the insert is present in the glove, but without introducing ball bounce.
It is well known to provide a removable insert for a glove used in various sports such as baseball, cricket (for the wicket keeper or catcher), frisbee catching, handball, and the like. The insert of the present invention is of the type which is useful in a catching glove (for example, a baseball glove, a cricket glove, or a frisbee glove) wherein an object (for example, the baseball, the cricket ball, the frisbee) is to be caught in the glove. Thus the present invention does not concern gloves for handball and the like where the ball or other object is not caught, but rather hit or re-directed. While the present invention will be described with respect to a baseball glove, it will be clear that the principles of the present invention apply to all catching gloves--for example, cricket gloves and frisbee gloves.
There are two major types of inserts for use in catching gloves, such as baseball gloves. The less common type of insert is formed of a relatively rigid non-resilient material which prevents the wearer from closing the glove about the object being caught. This type of insert is commonly used as a training tool in order to force players to get into the habit of catching with two hands (as opposed to just the glove hand) because use of the non-glove hand is necessary to prevent the ball from rolling out of the glove hand.
By far a more common type of insert is formed of a resilient material (such as foam or rubber), thereby to lessen the finger sting and palm pain behind the insert when the insert is present in the glove. The insert may consist exclusively of the resilient material, or the resilient material may be enclosed in a pocket of resilient or non-resilient material in order to better retain its shape, provide a suitable feel to the wearer, and the like.
The conventional inserts for a catching glove have not proven to be entirely satisfactory in use. Whether the object is a baseball (whether hard ball or soft ball), a frisbee, or a cricket ball, the resilient material thereof imparts to the glove "ball bounce." Ball bounce occurs when the ball impacts upon the glove and thereby initially compresses the insert, followed by the insert resiliently resuming its original configuration and thereby generating a force which causes the ball to bounce out of the glove (whether back along its original trajectory towards the glove or a different trajectory). While such "ball bounce" may be acceptable in sports where the ball is not to be caught, but rather simply struck (for example, handball), it is unsuitable for use in sports where the glove is used for catching the ball.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an insert for a catching glove wherein the insert lessens finger sting and palm pain behind the finger when the insert is present in the glove, without introducing ball bounce.
Another object is to provide such an insert which defines a palm protector and at least two finger protectors to stabilize the position of the palm protector within the glove.
A further object is to provide such an insert which is easily insertable into and easily removable from a catching glove.